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Science News for November 14, 2003


Social mothers appear to be better mothers

Researchers found that more socially involved female baboons had higher reproductive success rates and lower infant mortality. This contradicts the long-held assumption that social relationships are only beneficial for mothers.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles·JournalScience·DateNov 14, 2003

Brittle fracture mechanism breaks the sound barrier

Scientists discover conditions for cracks to propagate supersonically in brittle solids, challenging classical theories on fracture speed. Hyperelasticity governs dynamic fracture under extreme deformation, with a characteristic length scale near the crack tip.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalNature·DateNov 14, 2003

Genes control severity of heart failure, study finds

Researchers at Duke University Medical Center have discovered two genetic regions linked to heart function and survival in patients with heart failure. The study found that genetic variations on chromosomes 13, 18, 2, and 4 affect cardiac function and survival, providing potential targets for new therapies.

SourceDuke University Medical Center·JournalHuman Molecular Genetics·DateNov 14, 2003

JCI Table of Contents, November 14, 2003

Two independent studies successfully selected and expanded gene-corrected human stem cells using a novel drug-resistance gene. This breakthrough may be useful in human clinical trials of gene therapy for bone marrow transplantation settings. Additionally, upregulation of Irs2 promotes beta cell growth, survival, and insulin secretion, ...

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateNov 14, 2003
Apple iPhone 17 Pro

Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers top performance and advanced cameras for field documentation, data collection, and secure research communications.

Research on spleen cells could yield potential cure for Type 1 diabetes

A new study by the Society for Women's Health Research has found that spleen cells can rapidly regrow adult islet cells without embryonic stem cells. This breakthrough discovery opens up a new approach to treating Type 1 diabetes, which develops when the immune system attacks insulin-producing islet cells.

SourceSociety for Women's Health Research·JournalScience·DateNov 14, 2003

New program interrogates gene pathways

The GRAM program combines data sets on gene regulatory pathways and messenger RNA levels to determine causal relationships between regulators and genes. By processing these data sets together, researchers can identify regulators that switch genes on or off across the entire genome.

SourceWhitehead Institute for Biomedical Research·JournalNature Biotechnology·DateNov 14, 2003

'Scientific American 50' recognizes NCAR scientists

Researchers from NCAR's Research Applications Program developed the NCAR Efficient Spectral Processing Algorithm (NESPA) to aid pilots in navigating turbulent storms. The algorithm achieved an impressive accuracy rate of over 80%, detecting turbulence encounters with very few false positives.

SourceNational Center for Atmospheric Research/University Corporation for Atmospheric Research·DateNov 14, 2003
Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor

Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor tracks ventilation quality in labs, classrooms, and conference rooms with long battery life and clear e-ink readouts.

Epilepsy at the movies

A study analyzing 62 movies across four continents found that epilepsy is often stereotyped, with males shown as violent and females as exotic and vulnerable. The dramatic potential of seizures may contribute to these portrayals.

SourceThe Lancet_DELETED·JournalThe Lancet Neurology·DateNov 14, 2003

Naked mole-rats bare pain relief clues

Researchers found naked mole-rats naturally lack Substance P, a neurotransmitter that sends pain signals to the central nervous system. Introducing Substance P restored pain signaling in these animals, sparking hope for new therapies to treat fibromyalgia.

SourceUniversity of Illinois Chicago·DateNov 14, 2003

Study sheds light on why some infants may develop permanent heart damage

A new study suggests that maternal circulating cells can migrate to the heart of infants, potentially causing a damaging immune response. The research, led by Dr. Anne Stevens, found that these cells were present at higher levels in the hearts of babies with neonatal lupus syndrome, which can cause severe heart damage.

SourceFred Hutchinson Cancer Center·JournalThe Lancet·DateNov 14, 2003
Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope combines portable Schmidt-Cassegrain optics with GoTo pointing for outreach nights and field campaigns.

Stem cell gene therapy: selecting only the best

Researchers successfully transferred and expressed MGMT into relatively few hematopoietic stem cells using a lentivirus vector, enabling gene-corrected cells to repopulate the hematopoietic compartment. This breakthrough has significant implications for human clinical trials of gene therapy in bone marrow transplantation settings.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateNov 14, 2003